Underwater operable connector



AUS- 11,1970 b. aalNsoN l 35524-1166 l l uNDERwATER OPEBABLE CONNECTOR Filed sept. 17. 196s n 2 sheets-sheet 1 IOO OZ Inventor Dmiald B. Rabinson.

Ag. 11,- 1970 D. B. ROBINSON 3,524,160

UNDBRWATER OPERABLE CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 17. 1968 2 Sheets-fSheet 2 United States Patent Olhce 3,524,160 Patented Aug. 11, 19-70 U.S. Cl. 339-34 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical connector having mating housings formed to establish and/ or break an electrical circuit while immersed in an electrolytic fluid.

This invention provides an electrical connector having contacts in the line and load side housings which are sealed off from any outside environment when the housings are either in a mated or unmated position. Additionally, the connector of this invention can be coupled and uncoupled while electrically energized and submerged in any liquid electrolyte, for example water, without causing an electrical short circuit. In other words an underwater operable connector capable of preventing contact between connectors and ambient liquid during coupling and uncoupling operations.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art upon consideration of the following detailed description and drawings of a referred embodiment of this invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a line side housing embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a load side housing embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the load side housing taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of an electrical contact; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled electrical connector embodying the present invention.

FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate one preferred embodiment of an electrical connector of the present invention comprising an elongated line side housing mated with an elongated load side housing 12 each of which have main body portions thereof formed from any suitable resilient insulating material, such as molded neoprene or rubber.

As is shown in FIG. l the line side housing 10 has an elongated main body portion 14 which extends rearwardly (to the left in FIG. 1) from a mating face 26 and comprises: a cylindrical forward portion 16; a cylindrical intermediate portion 18 having an outside diameter thereof smaller than the outside diameter of portion 16; and a frusto conical rearwardly tapering end portion 20 extending rearwardly from portion 18. A plurality, as shown 20, of axially extending circumferentially spaced through 'bores 22, are provided in the forward body portion 16 intermediate the outer periphery thereof and the outer periphery of portion 18 for receiving movable contacts 24 therein, in a manner hereinafter described. A rearwardly extending coaxial cylindrically shaped shallow recess 28, -which extends rearwardly from the forward mating face surface 26 of body portion 16, has an outside diameter thereof approximately equal to the outside diameter of body portion 18. A plurality of rearwardly extending deforming slots 29, circumferentially spaced at alternate intervals with bores 22, are provided on mating face 26 to a depth forwardly adjacent the rearward surface of recess 28 for a purpose hereinafter described. A coaxial cylindrical cable receiving ibore 30, extends axially forwardly from the rear end of body portion 20 with the forward end thereof located rearwardly adjacent the forward end of body portion 18.

Referring to FIG. 4, an elongated electrical contact 32 constructed of any suitable material, for example silver plated beryllium copper, comprises an axially extending lower lug strap portion 34 and an upper circular collar or loop portion 36, the inside diameter of which is equal to the diameter of bore 22. In forming of body portion 14, each contact 32 has portion 36 thereof positioned around a respective bore 22, intermediate the body portion 16 with'the lower lug portion 34 thereof extending radially inward therefrom. As shown, one fixed electrical contact 32 is provided for each bore 22.

A multiple conductor cable 38 is received within bore 30 'and at the forwardmost end thereof the cable insulation" is stripped away to provide a plurality, as shown 20, of electrical conductors 40. Conductors 40 are electrically connected to the lower ends of lug straps 34, respectively, prior to the forming of ibody portion 14 and positioning of contacts 32.

The elongated movable contact 24 is of any suitable electrical conductive material, for example a phosphorous bronze alloy, and comprises identical forward and rearward circular end portions 42 and 46, respectively, which have a diameter thereof equal to the diameter of bore 22 and an axial length thereof equal to the strip width of the fixed contact 32, and a relatively long slender intermediate portion 48 having a diameter thereof less than the diameter of the end portions 42 and 46. An insulating sleeve 50 of a hard insulating material, such as Bakelite or the like, which has an axial length thereof equal to the axial length of portion 48 and an outside diameter thereof slightly greater than the outside diameter of end portions 42 and 46 is provided around portion 48.

In the position shown in FIG. l, the movable contact 24 is located within bore 22 intermediate the axial ends thereof so that the inner periphery of portion 36 of fixed contact 32 is in contact with the outer periphery of insulating sleeve 50 intermediate the axial end thereof. At the forward and rearward ends of the movable contacts 24, identical bore sealing elements or insulating plugs 52 and 54, respectively, of a hard insulating material, such as Bakelite or the like, which have an outside diameter thereof slightly larger than the diameter of bore 22, are securely aixed, in any suitable manner, to the axial ends of contacts 24 and slidably and sealably received within bores 22 by deforming the peripheral walls thereof radially outward. The deformation of the walls of bores 22 are facilitated by deforming slots 29. Plugs 52 and 54 and contact 24 are axially aligned and have a total axial length approximately eq-u-al to the axial length of bore 22.

A hollow elongated rigid sleeve 56, preferably formed from stainless steel, having an inside diameter and an axial length thereof equal respectively to the outside diameter and axial length of the intermediate body portion 18, comprises a forward portion 58 which has an outside diameter thereof equal to the outside diameter of body portion 16, and arearward portion 60 having a lesser outside diameter thereof than the outside diameter of portion 58. Sleeve 56 is snugly and non-rotatably received around the outer periphery of body portion 18 having the forwardmost surface of sleeve portion 58 in contact with the rearward surface of body portion 16.

A plurality, as shown 20, of axially extending through step bores '62, coaxial with the respective bores 22 in the main body 14 are provided in the forward sleeve portion 58,- and comprise a rearward portion 64 and a forward portion 66 of a lesser diameter than portion 64. A cylindrical rigid contact carrier rod 67, preferably formed from stainless steel, of a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of bore portion 66, extends axially forward from a rear end thereof located intermediate sleeve portion 60, through bore 58 and is firmly secured at the forwardmost end thereof to the rearward insert pl-ug 54. A contact carrier return spring 68, of an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of bore portion 64, encompasses a portion of the contact carrier rod 67 which extends from the rearwardmost end of rod 67 to the forwardmost end of bore portion 64. A retaining head 69 is provided in the rearwardmost end of rod 67 to prevent the spring 68 from sliding off the rod 67. Thus, when the line side housing is coupled with the load side housing 12, the contact carrier rod is forced axially forward thereby compressing the contact carrier return spring 68 and moving the movable contact 24 axially forward until the outer periphery of portion 46 comes into contact with the circular portion 36 of the iix'ed contact 32, thereby carrying electrical current through the movable contact 24 and completing a circuit with the load side housing 12. When housings 10 and 12 are uncoupled, the spring bias of the contact carrier spring 68 causes the contact carrier rod 67 to return to the uncoupled position.

An elongated rigid coupling casing 72, preferably formed from stainless steel, of a generally annular cross section, having a constant outside diameter, comprises: a forward internally threaded portion 74 having an inside diameter thereof slightly larger than the outside diameter of body portion I16; an intermediate portion 76 with an inside diameter thereof essentially equal to the inside diameter of portion 74; and a rear housing engaging portion 76 which has an inside diameter thereof equal to the outside diameter of sleeve portion 60. Casing 72 is axially dimensioned so that when the main body portion 14 is fitted therewithin and the contact carrier return spring 68 is in the `unrestrained position thereof, portion 78 of casing 72 has the inner periphery thereof in contact with and is slidably and rotatably received by the outer periphery of sleeve portion 60 forwardly adjacent the rearward end thereof and portion 74 of casing 72 is located axially forward of the mating face 26. An annular stop bar 80 is rigidly affixed in a groove 82 provided in sleeve portion 60 rearwardly adjacent the rear end of the casing portion 78 to prevent the casing 72 from sliding rearward thereof. A plurality, as shown 2, of annular washers 84 are slidably and rotatably received around the outer periphery of sleeve portion 60 intermediate the forward face of casing portion 78 and the rearward end of the carrier retaining rod heads 69. Portion 74 of casing 72 threadably engages the load side housing 12 and urges the movable contact 24 axially forward to complete an electrical circuit.

As is shown in FIG. 2 the load side housing 12 has an elongated main body portion 88 which extends rearwardly (to the right in FIG. 2) from a mating face 98 and comprises: a cylindrical forward portion 90 having an outside diameter thereof equal to the outside diameter of portion 16 of main `body 14; a cylindrical intermediate portion 92 which has an outside diameterthereof smaller than the outside diameter of portion 90; and a frustoconical rearwardly tapering end portion 94 extending rearwardly from portion l92. A plurality, as shown 20, of axially extending circumferentially spaced through bores 96 which have a diameter thereof equal to the diameter of bores 22 of body portion 14, are provided in body portion 90 intermediate the outer periphery thereof and the outer periphery of portion 92 and are so positioned that when housings 10 and 12 are in a coupled position, bores 96 of housing 12 will be in axial alignment with lbores 22 of housing 10. The mating face y98 of body portion 90 has a rearwardly extending coaxial cylindrically shaped shallow recess 100 therein which has an outside diameter thereof equal to the outside diameter of recess 28 of housing 10. A plurality of rearwardly extending deforming slots 101, alternately circumferentially spaced with bores 96, are provided on mating face 98 to a 4 depth forwardly adjacent the forward surface of recess 100 for a purpose hereinafter described. A coaxial cylindrical cable receiving bore 102 extends axially forwardly from the rearward end of body portion 94 to a forwardmost point thereof located intermediate the length of portion 92.

As heretofore described with reference to housing 10 and herein designated with like numbers primed, a cable 38 is received in bore 102 and at the forwardmost end thereof the cable insulation is stripped away to reveal insulated conductors 40" which are electrically connected to the lug straps 34 of fixed electrical contacts 32. Portlon 36 of contact 32 is positioned around bore 96 in the forming of body 98 in a manner hereinbefore described.

A hollow elongated cylindrical rigid sleeve 104, preferably formed from stainless steel and having a constant inside diameter and an axial length thereof equal, respectively, to the outside diameter and axial length of the intermediate body portion 92, comprises: a forward portion 106, the outside surface of which is threaded along the entire axial length thereof to cooperate with the threaded portion 74 of casing 72 when housings 10 and 12 are coupled; an intermediate portion 108 which has an outside diameter thereof less than the outside diameter of portion 106; and a rearward portion 110` having a cylindrical forward end of an outside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of body portion 90 and a frusto-conical rearwardly tapering end extending rearwardly therefrom. Sleeve 104 is snugly and non-rotatably received around the outer periphery of body portion 92 having the forwardmost surface of portion 106 in contact with the rearwardrnost surface of body portion 90.

A plurality, as shown 20, of axially extending through bores 112, coaxial with bores 96 of the main body 88 are provided in the rearward threaded portion 106. An elongated cup-shaped rigid spring receiving chamber member 114, preferably formed from stainless steel, having a radially outwardly extending flange 116 at the open end thereof is slidably received within bore 112 so that the forward surface of flange 116 is in contact with a portion of the rearward surface of portion 106. As shown, the axial length of member 114 forward of flange 116 equals the axial length of bore 112. A contact carrier return spring 68', having an outside diameter thereof approximately equal to the inside diameter of member 114, is received within member 114 and in the uncompressed state thereof extends from the forward end of member 114 to the forward face of body portion 94 where a circular depression 118 of a diameter equal to the diameter of spring 68 snugly receives the forward end of spring 68' therein.

A polarizing pin 120 and a polarizing pin receiving chamber 122, of any suitable construction, are rmly fixed to the rearward surface of recess 28 on a common diameter equally intermediate the outer periphery and center thereof and extend axially forward thereof to a point forwardly adjacent the mating face 26. Pin 120 and chamber 122 cooperate, respectively, in a manner well known in the art with a chamber 122 and a pin 120', which are conjugately mounted at the forward end of housing 12, when housings 10 and 12 are coupled in a manner hereinafter described.

In assemblying an electrical connector as described, pins 120 and 120 are respectively inserted into chamber 122 and 122, thereby orienting the housing electrical contact into the desired polar relationship. Housing mating faces 26 and 98 are brought into contact where the forwardmost interior thread of coupling casing portion 74 engages the forwardmost exterior thread of sleeve portion 106. The housing coupling casing 72 is rotated about the central axis thereof, thereby threading casing 72 onto sleeve 104 which causes the contact carrier rod 67 to move axially forward with respect to mating face 26 and the Contact carrier return spring 68 to compress axially from the uncoupled position thereof. Bores 22 and 96 are in axial alignment, therefore, rod 67 forces the forward insulating plug 52 to enter a bore 96, thereby urging the spring receiving chamber 114 axially rearward with respect to mating face 98 and compressing the Contact carrier return spring 68 from the unrestrained length thereof. A fluid tight insertion of plug 52 into bore 96 is possible because plug 52 is of a larger diameter than bore 96 and the inner surface of bore 96 deforms radially outward aided by deforming slots 101. Additionally, as plug 52 moves axially forward beyond mating face 98 the insulating sleeve 50, because the diameter thereof is slightly larger than the diameter of bores 22 and 96, continually maintains the fluid seal. The movable contact 24 enters bore 96 and when housings 10 and 12 are completely mated, portion 42 of contact 24 is in electrical and mechanical engagement with the iixed contact 32' and portion 46 is in electrical and mechanical engagement with the fixed contact 32, thereby completing an electrical circuit between line side housing and load side housing 12.

To uncouple the electrical connector of this invention, coupling casing 72 is rotated about the central axis thereof, oppositely the direction of rotation to couple housings 10 and 12, thereby resulting in housing 10 moving axially rearward with respect to housing 12. As the axially forward compressive forces are relieved, the spring bias of return springs 68 and 68', apply axially directed tensile and compressive forces, respectively, on the movable contacts 24 thereby resulting in contacts 24 and insulating plugs 52 and 54 returning to the uncoupled position thereof, that is being fully contained within bores 22.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described and illustrated herein one skilled in the art can readily embody the principles of this invention in other forms to obtain the same operation and advantages, for example, the return springs 68 and 68 can be replaced by a manual return system of suitable construction. In such a case the housing coupling casing 72 need not have threads at the forward end thereof but could have suitable slots therein to accommodate outwardly extending components of a manual movable contact return system.

A significant feature of this invention is that the electrical components of the line and load side housings are effectively sealed oif from outside environment and, additionally, the housings can be uncoupled and coupled while electrically energized and submerged in any liquid electrolyte, for example water, without causing an electrical short circuit. These features can be achieved with structural variations to the preferred embodiment hereinbefore described, for example, a hard, not readily deformed, insulating substance can be substituted for the described material of body portions 14 and 88 if a resilient, easily deformed, substance is substituted for the described material of insulating plugs 452 and 54 and insulating sleeve 50. Additionally some dimensional limitations described can be varied without effecting the features of this invention, vfor example, the diameter of contact portions 42 and 46 can be slightly larger than the diameter of bore 22 and the axial length thereof can be either larger or smaller than the strip width of contact 32.

'Ihe description herein does not limit the structure of this invention and the invention is dened by the scope of the claims set forth hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. lIn an underwater operable electrical connector of the type comprising a pair of rst and second matable housings adapted to be secured together insealed relationship, the improvement comprising: at least one axially extending bore in each housing of said pair of housings; xed contact means in said housings, respectively communicating with the interior of each of said bores; an elongated movable contact element in said bore of said rst housing movable from one location within said first housing bore and out of contact with said xed contact means to another location partly in said first housing bore and partly in an axially aligned one of said bores of said second housing and located to contact said iixed contacts respectively associated with said first housing bore and said aligned second housing bore when said housings are secured together.

2. In an electrical connector as specified in claim 1 the further improvement wherein each of said housings has a plurality of said bores therein and each of said fixed contacts has a circular loop portion slidably receiving at least an end portion of said movable contact element.

3. In an electrical connector as specified in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said separate housings have conjugate polarizing means to insure correct mating of the respective bores in each of said rst and second housings.

4. An electrical connector as specified in claim 1 wherein iirst and second housings are sealingly mounted on respective multi-conductor cables whereof each conductor is electrically connected to a respective fixed contact means.

5. In an electrical connector as specified in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said movable contact moves from said another location when said housings are secured together back to said one location when said housings are separated one from the other.

6. In an electrical connector as specified in claim 5 wherein spring means is provided for moving said movable contact back to said one location upon separation of said housings.

7. In an electrical connector as specied in claim 1 the further improvement wherein bore sealing elements are located within said bores at each end of each of said movable Contact elements some of said sealing elements being movable from a location within given respecti-ve ones of said 'first housing bores to a location Within respective ones of said second housing bores mated with said given first housing bores.

8. In an electrical connector as specied in claim 7 the further improvement wherein said sealing elements are secured to the respective ends of said movable contact elements and are movable therewith.

9. In an electrical connector as specified in claim 1 the further improvement 'wherein each of said matable housings is formed of insulating material at least partially surrounded by respective intertting threaded metallic shells and wherein said movable contact is moved from said one location to said another at least in part during the intertting and threaded engagement of said metallic shells.

10. An electrical connector as specied in claim 9 wherein sealing elements are secured to the ends of said movable contacts within said bores and are sealingly mated to said bores but movable therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,241 7/1922 Tomlinson 21S-1.3 3,360,764 12/19167 Bac 339-45 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner I. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 339-42, 94 

